


Something Different

by kiimigi



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Merc!Wash, Past Wash/Connie, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-10
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:48:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27489103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiimigi/pseuds/kiimigi
Summary: This was the only reason Malcom Hargrove has kept him alive all these years. Kept him conveniently tucked away in his pocket for all these years to be collected when he needed him.Wash feels the Chairman yanking at his leash now.He couldn't care less about Chorus or the Reds and Blues. Any heat that he had felt against the Reds and Blues had fizzled out years ago and Chorus sounds like another hell hole he has no business being in, but it's the closest chance of getting out of this mess he had in years.So as long can get dirt under his feet, he’ll figure something out later.He can be ruthless. He can get the job done. He can patch up the cracks. That's what he was always good at.He can give people what they want to hear from him.
Relationships: AI Program Epsilon | Leonard Church & Agent Washington
Comments: 1
Kudos: 21





	Something Different

Wash has gotten pretty good at telling what people wanted from him.

When Sharkface had come at him earlier, Wash noted with some interest at the way Locus had ripped him away and slammed Sharkface against the wall before he could even get near to Wash.

“Friendly place” Felix says strolling up and patting his shoulder before steering him into a room.

“Yeah, no, it’s not” Wash says.

Wash sits and looks like he’s listening as Felix struts the interrogation room. 

He's a little more interested in Locus standing in the corner watching him carefully and Wash is careful to keep his face impartial giving him the reactions he expects.

Felix talks a lot. His words are like a buzz. He's laying it on pretty thick truth really. Old habits blah blah blah Revenge blah blah chance at freedom blah blah blah the Reds and Blues

There was a little ping of interest at the mention of Reds and Blues but Wash had actually sat up straight at the mention of Carolina and Epsilon.

He hadn’t been expecting that. But he files that away for later.

They think he may be useful to them because of his grudge against the Reds and Blues. 

He’ll let them think that for now. 

Felix is offering a good deal. A chance at freedom and a chance at the Reds and Blues and it all seems too good.

There's something else there, beneath the piled on words.

There's a sting there. 

"The Reds and Blues are involved?” he says with a laugh as he sits forward in his chair. He remembered them and all the chaos they dragged behind them and sheer amount of stupid dumb luck that makes him jealous "You must have messed up pretty bad to have come all the way out here. Did they beat you that badly?"

Maybe that hadn't been the smartest move as he sees something murderous flash across Felix’s eyes and his hand twitches to his knife

"Felix," Locus says in warning and Felix jerks to a stop. 

_ Interesting _

“According to your file, we’re not the first one” Felix says, his mood flipping like whiplash. His voice sprung back to carefree but the razor threat is still there. 

They've read his file. Probably talked to the Counselor as well. He doesn't like that one bit.

“Listen, our employer can give you another shot at them. Settle old scores. Or you can continue to rot here for the rest of time.”

“Who's your employer?” Wash says

“It's not important.” Felix says waving him aside before leaning on the table over Wash, trying to force Wash to sit back. He doesn't “All you should care about is that you get out of here.”

Wash didn't need to ask. He already has a pretty good guess on who they're working for.

There are a lot easier places to find a couple of low lives to hand a gun, but of all places they choose a top security prison in the middle of space. With  _ him _ on it. It may seem a little arrogant to think that they’re here for him, but he's willing to take that gamble.

The rest of the prisoners aren't soldiers, little more than cannon fodder and Locus hadn't let anyone touch him since they got here. They had already read his file and had known his name before he gave it. They had come all this way for him.

And there's only less than a handful of people that still know where he is.

That could only mean the Chairman had finally come to collect him. 

Wash always knew this day would come and he feels himself resigns to it. Felix didn't really have to ask. Wash didn't have much of a choice really. This was the only reason Malcom Hargrove has kept him alive all these years. Kept him conveniently tucked away in his pocket for all these years to be collected when he needed him. Like Wash wasn't even a person anymore, little more than a tool to be used and tossed aside when he wasn't useful anymore. 

Wash feels the Chairman yanking at his leash now.

He couldn't care less about Chorus or the Reds and Blues. Any heat that he had felt against the Reds and Blues had fizzled out years ago and Chorus sounds like another hell hole he has no business being in, but it's the closest chance of getting out of this mess he had in years. 

So as long can get dirt under his feet, he’ll figure something out later. He can be ruthless. He can get the job done, he can patch up the cracks. That's what he was always good at.

Half the things he's done in the past is because somebody told him to and the other half is because he thought it was the only option he had.

He can give people what they want to hear from him. 

“What do you need me to do”

* * *

Tucker realizes a second too late that this guy is nothing like the cannon fodder Felix had been throwing at them recently. 

The guy hadn't even noticed him when Tucker had skidded around the corner. He had just been standing rifle loose in his hands. 

Too bad for him. Tucker had no time for this, Epsilon shouting instructions in his head. They had to find Doyle before Felix did. Tucker had charged down the corridor at the easy target, his sword flaring to life.

At the last moment, the guy's head turns back.

The guy dances around him easily side stepping and ducking below his wide swings. 

There's something about the smooth efficient way he moves that's somehow familiar. Like something Carolina would do but not quite. 

The guy surges forward ducking below Tucker's guard and Tucker cries out as he grabs his wrist, wrenching it down nearly dislocating it and his sword clattering to the ground. 

Tucker swears as he feels his feet leave the ground and next moment he's staring at the ceiling, gasping as all the breath is knocked from him. 

He goes completely still as a knife is at his throat and he can't even begin to struggle, the guy got him in a tight lock even as he kneels over his chest.

Blood is pounding in his ears and when he tries to twist away, pain shoots up his arm as the guy tightens the lock and the knife presses into his throat. Tucker freezes.

He must be screaming, hurling every insult he's ever heard at him but can't hear himself over the pounding in his ears.

Then the guy lets go. 

Tucker lets out a wavering breath as the knife moves away from his throat. The guy sheathes the knife behind his back and he just stands over him for a second as if to see going to try again. Tucker doesn't. Tucker just sags, relief knotting in his throat at the knife being gone.

The guy steps over Tucker and continues on his way.

What the  _ fuck _

Tucker gathers himself, hauling himself up to his knees. He's still breathless as he struggles to his feet but he just staggers and sinks back to his knees. 

"What the fuck" he shouts after him. The blinding panic for a few seconds earlier twisting into rage that lodges itself in its throat. An acidic mix knowing that he would be dead if he hadn't been let go. "Who the fuck are you!?"

The guy actually stops and half turns back to him. 

"You don't remember, Tucker?" His voice sounds so familiar and it grates him that he can't place it.

"How do you know my name?" He snaps

Tucker groans, hands flying to his helmet as Epsilon kind of fizzes in his head like a sudden headache as he's washed with a second hand panic. 

A forgotten memory swirls back to the front of his mind. A grey soldier kneeling before him. The grey soldier figure rapidly shrinking in the rear view mirror. He had left him in snow.

“Agent Washington.” He groaned

Agent Washington tilts his head as if somebody just talked into his radio.

“Felix is going to be here soon. You better leave” He says before he turns and leaves.

He had only seen Washington once before and back at Sidewinder. And back then he had more important things to worry about then how the guy who had just tried to kill had a really nice voice. Carolina and the rest have mentioned a thing or two about him in passing but Tucker had honestly thought he would be dead by now. 

Then the wind whips and whirled around and he swears as Pelican flies over him.

Eventually he stumbles to his feet leaning heavily on the wall. His legs feel weak as he starts walking, leaning heavily against the wall

"Tucker!" Carolina shouts over the radio

"Yeah, yeah I'm coming. Let's get out of here." He says, the headache Epsilon gave him still pounds against his temple "What the hell was that, Epsilon"

Epsilon says nothing.

"Epsilon?"

But the feeling is gone inside his head. Epsilon is gone.

* * *

The mission wasn’t a complete failure but it felt like it. The pelican ride back is thick with tension, everyone stewing in their own misery.

Locus comes back frazzled from whatever he saw through that portal. He had gone deathly silent. Felix is frazzled too. He’s just loud about it. He talks the entire pelican ride back, distracting himself from it. 

"Shut up" locus growls and Felix's mouth shuts so quick Wash can hear the click of his teeth as Felix falls heavily in his seat folding his arms.

They hadn't quite looked at each other since they came back.

Wash on the other feels...weird. 

A warmth had draped over him, fuzzing the edges of his senses. He felt  _ calm _ . He shouldn't be feeling like this. His eyes droop, right at the edge of sleep. He blinks his eyes hard a couple times, trying to focus and to stay awake.

He must be coming down from the adrenaline.

" _ Are you still afraid of heights?" Connie laughs next to him _

He startles so hard he actually jerks back in his seat and everybody in the pelican turns to him. Her voice had been so clear as she'd be there bumping shoulders with him when he looked up.

He slumps back forward into his seat.

Why now?

The entire pelican ride back memories of Connie flood his mind, pressing against the back on his eyes. The harder he tries not to not think of it, the more it just draws them up. He tries to shake it off but it has lodged itself stubbornly in the front of his head. 

_ His head is cradled in her lap as he's laid down on the pelican floor, the cold against his back. The pain dulls to a throb as the sedative Maine gave him takes effect and his eyes droop as he falls asleep under her careful hands. Wash hums as Connie cards a hand through his hair grimy and sticky with blood and sweat. She bends over to whisper in his ear. _

The memory washes over him so heavy it's as if he's blinking awake when the pelican touches down, unlike in his memory he has his armor up and injuries are suddenly gone. 

Boots clank on metal as they walk off the pelican. Felix in front with Locus and Wash lagging behind.

“Tough crowd” Felix mutters as Locus shoulders past him. Felix has stopped, looking at him.

“Huh?” Wash says realizing Felix is waiting for an answer and he has no idea what the question is. 

“Are you fucking  _ crying _ ?” Felix snapped.

Wash touches his cheek and his gloves come away wet. He scrubs at his eyes wiping away silent tears rolling down his cheeks. 

Felix scoffs, throwing up his hands in the air as he storms away. “The fucks wrong with you people!”

* * *

_ Its almost impressive how quickly it all went downhill.  _

_ Wash slices at the Meta in a flurry of knife work aiming everywhere armor wasn’t stomach neck shoulder but it doesn't seem to do anything as the Meta raises the bruteshot and Wash grabs for his rifle _

_ There is a twinkle of laughter behind him as he turns and Connie is at his back, knives in hand. _

_ Wait that’s not how that meant _

_ Connie isn't supposed to be here _

_ Except he isn't fighting the Meta _

_ Maine is fighting beside him, overpowering anyone that comes close and Connie is bouncing and weaving, lighting quick with her knives. Wash takes a moment to stare. It's like art how they move. _

_ It should have been an easy win _

_ But then he hears their target swear behind it as the Insurgent leader turns and makes a break for it, disappearing around a corner. Oh no you don't. _

_ "I got him!" Wash calls over the radio as he breaks into a sprint after the Insurgent leader before he can get away. _

_ "Wait! Wash, don't!"  _

_ Wash has no time to reply as he screeches to a halt. There's a clink of a grenade rolling by his feet and he only has a second to curl away from it as the world explodes into a blinding light. _

_ When he eventually wakes up, he is surprisingly not dead. He winces at the blinding light of the lamp above him. He blinks his eyes clearing the spots in his vision. He twists to look around the best he can but he's bound to a chair in a dark room and he hisses as pain shoots through him. He looks down to see blood clotting his Kevlar under suit. his helmet and the rest of his armor tosses haphazardly onto a table across the room.  _

_ Not along after, voices coming from somewhere outside and the door opens behind him and he stops himself from craning around as footsteps echo behind him _

_ "You’re far from home, aren't you, little freelancer” the Insurgent in red and black armor trails a hand over Wash's shoulders and the nape of his neck as he walks to stand in front of him  _

_ He hates how his heart thunders in his chest, hates how the insurgent is in full armor and he's only left in his Kevlar suit, face exposed and awfully vulnerable. _

_ Wash hands fist behind him and he keeps his face carefully blank.  _

_ The insurgent seems to be amused by the blanking of his face as a sharp smile spreads across his face. He crosses to the room to the table. There are the sounds of chains and scraps of metal but with his back to him Wash can't see what he's doing.  _

_ There is a scrap of metal as the insurgent drags a chair across the floor placing it in front of Wash with a sharp clang. _

_ Only when he's sitting down does he catch the glint of his own knife- the one that Connie had given him- casually turning it over in his hand. The insurgent watching how Wash eyes crack every movement of it.  _

_ He leans forward, slowly, Wash can't help but flinch as his finger grazes over his wound at his side dragging up to his throat pushing it up, twisting and pushing his face to get a better look at him. His hand trails down again, pinching the zipper of his Kevlar suit drawing it down, taking his time again. His skin prickles at the cold air as inch after inch of his chest is revealed until his suit is hanging of his shoulder  _

_ Finally he holds the knife to his cheek. Wash sets his jaw and fixes his vision on a point on the far wall.  _

_ “Oh this is going to be fun"  _

* * *

Epsilon was gone.

He must have jumped into something or somewhere during the chaos. But when he does that he usually always makes his way back to Carolina. He remembers the panic that had spiked in his temple when he saw Washington.

What if the Mercs had him?

Agent Washington was the worst person to get hold of him. Wash hated Epsilon. Apparently Epsilon destroyed his life or something. He must be dying to repay that favor.

Tucker doesn't know what to feel about Washington. His only memory of him was of Wash fighting the Meta in the distance. He had hunted them down. He had shot Doughnut. And he hates him for it. Tucker left him in the snow. He hates him for letting him go. 

“He was like really cryptic and melodramatic,” Tucker says when he told the rest about it. Carolina had gotten a strange look when he told her and he hates Washington for that too. 

“Yeah, he was pretty much like that when we met him” Grif says with a shrug like it didn't matter at all

“What is it?” He says when Carolina’s eyebrows furrow further. 

“It's just that, that's not how I remember him” Carolina says

* * *

_ Wash screams as the Insurgence slams the pipe into his chest so hard the chair tips back and slams to the ground.  _

_ Wash can't help twist in his bonds as the Insurgent crouches by his head before he has to haul the chair back up right. Wash is exhausted. It would have been hours or days or weeks he had no idea. _

_ His cheek stung where he had cut it, his muscles were sore from being tied down and his ribs screamed at him. He’s heaving in breath, his eyes blurry with tears. He’s already lightheaded which isn't a good sign as he fights to keep his eyes open. _

_ He sees the  _ _ Insurrectionist _ _ cock back a swing like a baseball player and he braces turning his face away. The metal pipe slams into his stomach again and Wash throws up all over his lap.  _

_ Its sticky and wet and warm as it drips from his lap and Wash coughs as dry heaves a little.  _

_ He was exhausted. He just needed a little rest. His eyes start to droop black at the edges _

_ “Stay with me, Freelancer. I’m not done with you.” _

_ “I'm not telling you anything” he mumbles _

_ "Oh I plan on that" _

_ The base shakes.  _

_ They stare at each other.  _

_ Then the door is slammed open _

_ “Two freelancers are on their way” the new  _ _ Insurrectionist _ _ pants "They found us" _

_ Wash lets out a tired laugh, smiling showing bloody teeth even as his eyes droop "You're so fucked now" _

_ “Is that so?” the Insurgents straightens up, looking to the other “Kill him. Let's go before they get here.” _

_ “Wait-wait” he is drenched in cold as he unsheathes Wash's knife. His hand fist in Wash's hair as yanks face back at a cruel angel. Wash tosses his head wildly, struggles with everything he can but there's nothing he can do. Cool metal pricks into his neck and he can feel skin break and blood drip down his neck. _

" _ Get away from me you son of a bitch" he shouts and nearly bends the chair trying to get away. _

_ The insurgent  _ __ _ goes still with a satisfying thunk thunk thunk as three knives bury themselves into his chest and he falls heavily to the ground. _

_ Connie is by his side immediately and nearly sobs as a wave of relief sweeps over him.  _

_ "Connie" he starts and can't stop muttering Connie Connie Connie as blood flows from his neck. He's going to die just as they got to him. It stings when she wipes at it, examining it. _

_ "You're okay, Wash. It's okay" Connie says "It's not deep. It's okay. We got you" _

_ The ropes are cut and Maine helps to ease him from the chair laying him out on the ground _

_ "Hey, big guy" He says. Maine squeezes his shoulder before he gets up and goes to guard the door. She starts patching him up, injecting biofoam and bracing bones and he basks in the wonderful warm feeling of being looked after.  _

_ They're here now. It's going to be alright. His eyes flutter shut _

_ "Wash” Connie says _

_ "Just resting" _

_ "Stay with me, Wash" _

_ "If I don't make it-" _

_ "Stop being so melodramatic, rookie" She presses a hand over his mouth. There is a tenderness to her voice. She's so close he can see the crinkle between her nose. He blushes despite everything and flops down again to stare at the ceiling. He's been probably a little too obvious in liking her and she can see right through him as she laughs a little as she goes back to work. Her fingers light and practiced as they took care of him _

_ “I was going to say you can have all my cat photos. Don't let the Counselor find my cat photos. And oh yeah tell me I says something cool” _

_ “Cool from you? They'd never believe me”  _

_ Maine hoists him up like he weighs nothing and he blushes again. He wants to laugh but cut off by a hisses as the movement jostles him "ow" he says _

_ "Baby" Maine chest rumbles against Wash's cheek as he speaks. _

_ "I'm not being a baby. It really does hurt" he whined _

_ “It's a matter of comparison,” Connie says trotting after them. _

_ Evac is on the way. They just have to sit tight. Maine lowers him gently against a rock and it's as comfortable as it sounds but he's sandwiched between them.  _

_ Connie is leaning against his arm and Maine did a sweep of the area before Wash patted the ground beside him and settled next to them.  _

_ “Carolina is going to be pissed. She's going to kill me” He says after a while.  _

_ “We won't let her get you." Connie says against his arm and Maine growled an affirmation. Despite everything he smiles  _

_ The still moment is bathed in gold as the sun sinks down the horizon.  _

_ His stomach still hurts but it's manageable now and he sinks into the feeling warm that drapes around him of being tucked between them. Maine steady and solid breathing beside him and he feels Connie's hand slip into his holding tighter showing that she had been more worried than she let on.  _

_ Evac was coming. They were taking him home. He was going to be alright. They had come for him. They had come for him. They had come for him. Relief sweeps over him like a wave and his shoulders start to tremble then shake as tears overflow with a steady stream of thank you thank you thank you.  _

* * *

Wash yanks his helmet off as the door to his room hisses closed, and it clatters to the corner of the room. 

He falls on his bunk, sitting on the edge of the bed scrubbing at his eyes but he can't get the tears to stop and his lip won't stop quivering. He doesn't feel sad he just feels full, like his chest was full warm as  _ thank you thank you thank you  _ echoes in his head

The emotions don't belong to him. These were echoes, memories

“Stop that” he says to the air. 

He recognizes Epsilon’s touch at the back of his neck like a tickle, the hairs on his backs raising. “Why did you show me that?” he staring at the far all

“You needed to be reminded what it's grateful to be alive” Epsilon says a second before he appears in front him with a flicker. He flinches a little bit at it. "What it's like to have someone who'd fight for you"

"Are you supposed to be that someone?" wash says with a cold laugh

"No. Hell no. I just don't want you to kill  _ my _ people" Epsilon says "why didn't you?"

"Why didn't I what?"

"Kill tucker. You could have easily"

He just shrugs. "I didn't want to."

Wash swears he sees Theta behind him for a second before it's just Epsilon with his hands on his hips. He thinks he should be freaking out, but he's not. He wonders if that's Epsilon as well. Epsilon's blue lights up the room like a gentle night life. 

“You could have told them I'm in here” Epsilon says. He’s not whispering, but he's quiet. He remembers back in the project, Epsilon had never been quiet. 

Back in Freelancer, Wash was the one that had to be quiet even as Epsilon had shouted and screamed constantly in his head because if the Director ever found out he'd destroy Epsilon. 

“You're reacting surprisingly well,” Epsilon says, crossing his arms, guarded. 

He knows epsilon sees that memory as well. The old protectiveness is still there. 

"I'm surprised too," Wash says with a shrugs again. He didn't feel like he had to explain himself. Not to Epsilon. There was a weariness, like standing at a height but it's nothing more than that. They hadn't seen each other in years, but it all felt so  _ familiar _ like staring at himself in the mirror.

He had so many questions, what had happened after sidewinder? How was he here? Why was he here? Why was he here in Wash's head?

The question answers itself as he feels a flicker of something at the back of his head but its gone before he can get a grasp on it.

“What was that?" He asks his eyebrows furrowing

“What was what”? Don't you think we have more pressing things to be worrying about like what to do about two crazy mercs” Epsilon makes a dismissive gesture but Wash clings onto the echo of the feeling. He turns inwards and it felt like Epsilon was arranging back there, unpacking. 

Epsilon must feel him searching because he snaps “Hey, don't ignore me” but it's too late Wash had already seen. 

He suddenly remembers climbing a tree, he remembers just learning how to skateboard in his driveway then skateboarding down the falls of MOI people ducking out of his way. He remembers snickering with south hidden bottles of beer clinking loudly under their hoodies, he remembers sitting with Maine curled up and weeping and Connie gone, he remembers Connie straddling his chest playfully pinning his arms by his head knowing he could muscle his way out of it

He hadn't remembered them

He had forgotten all of it. 

Wash stares at Epsilon

“What?” Epsilon says, almost self conscious at getting caught “Why are you looking at me like that”

“I don’t- I didn't remember. After the Project-after you-I had lost a lot of memories. I couldn't remember so much. The doctors had always thought it was the brain damage but that wasn't it, was it?” 

They were all here. Here’s where they had all gone.

When he had been implanted, Epsilon had flooded him with all his memories that he didn't want, of hurt and suffering that the Alpha ever felt and left them there. Wash hadn't known the connection had worked both ways. In that moment, Epsilon had learnt everything about David as well and he had taken memories with him.

All those years Epsilon had spent in the storage facility, left forgotten in the dark, Wash was glad to know Epsilon had a pleasant memory to keep him company

All this time he never realized Epsilon had freckles. 

It’s good to see him again. 

“Yuck,” Epsilon says and Wash laughs.

“Carolina going to kill me for stealing you”

“Ah don't worry about that. It's not like you took me. And besides she's different now” Epsilon says “Why are you hanging out with these losers?”

“I didn’t have any other choice, did I?”

“And when did you ever do what you were told.” Epsilon says with his hands on his hip “You fooled the Director, didn't you. I'm sure we can figure something out.” 

" _ We _ ?" 

Before he can continue, Epsilon suddenly blinks away “Oh yeah and heads up you’ve got a visitor” it's not a second after epsilon flickers off does the door hiss open. Of course Felix didn't knock, it's not his style. 

"Done with your little pity party?" Felix leans against the threshold one ankle crossed over the other.

"Almost"

“Good. I worried for a second you might be sentimental for your old buddies” Felix is testing him, picking at his buttons. He wonders if he saw that he let Tucker get away 

“What happened between you and Tucker anyway?” Wash says. He knows its a sore spot for Felix “He must have kicked your ass for you to hold such a grudge against him"

“ _ As if _ that sim trooper could ever touch this ” Felix says, gesturing to himself that the danger razor edge tone is back “I put a knife right through his gut.”

Epsilon rolls his eyes somewhere in the back of his head and Wash barely stopped himself from doing the same. 

_ <You should seen his face when he kicked his ass, we had them running away with their tails between legs> _

_ Quite _ Wash thought in Epsilon's direction

<you should have seen it>

“You’re really weird aren't you. You still got all your marbles up there?” Felix says. Wash realized an awkward silence had fallen over them. 

“Still, you messed up and Command sent  _ you _ to come fetch  _ me _ to clean up the mess.”

“You never miss the opportunity to drop a cryptid one liner, huh” Felix laughed before his voice flips and it's all business “You might get another shot at them soon. But if you kill Tucker before I do, I’ll make you wish you were still rotting in prison”

Felix tosses his helmet back at him and Wash plucks it out of the air easily.

They listen as Felix’s footsteps echo away before Epsilon projects himself again 

“I can't stand that guy” Epsilon says

“What now? Do you have a plan?”

“Of course I have a plan. While you two were flirting, I came up with a couple actually." Epsilon says "Is this your old armor?"

“You know”

“Caboose says hi by the way”

* * *

Carolina stands at the end of a light bridge between them and the tower. It's three on one but she still stands so confident like the goddess she is. She could win on her own. But Epsilon would like to even out the possibilities. 

As Felix yammers on and on, he feels Wash ready himself. 

Back in the project, anytime Wash would suggest something, she would shove it off without a thought. He was too low on the board to be considered.

But now, she catches on without a word. She moves as if they planned it. They kind of did. Epsilon ran the probabilities. 

As soon as Wash gives her the signal and it all kicks off. Carolina shoots Felix. Instinctively Felix activates his light shield but at the same time, Wash sets off a burst of EMP which is mildly terrifying for Epsilon. 

Without an AI his EMP never really works right. Always backfiring and shorting itself out, leaving Wash stranded but with Epsilon it works like a dream. 

Felix’s light shield shorts out and he cries out as Carolina's bullet gets him in the shoulder. Felix shouts clutching at his shoulder.

Wash feels a gun press to the back of his head but a grapple hook zips by snatching it from Locus's hand.

Carolina surges forward and meets Felix with a knee to the gut. He missed watching her work. They both did. She was a beautiful whirlwind of violence and grace. Carolina pushes Felix and Locus back and now it's two on two.

“You miss me?” Epsilon flickers on between them. 

“Hello, boys” Carolina says “but a bit of a heads up next time?”

“Oh, you managed perfectly without me”

Carolina nods to Wash and he can't tell if she's happy to see him but he nods back and falls into her lead like old times. 

They fight. 

They win. 

Wash is tired. 

He flops down onto the ground coughing up dust. He's pretty sure a ship just crashed onto them. 

“You still alive there, Wash?” Epsilon says, appearing in his face. 

“I think so” 

“Thanks, Epsilon,” Wash says and Epsilons flickers to Eta. He stares at the sky, soot and dust twirling in the air a lot like black snow

Carolina's hand reached down, waiting expectedly.

“Oh yeah, sorry” Wash sits up and reaches behind. He ejects Epsilon without any ceremony handing it back to her.

They work well together, him and Epsilon. They had been seamless. Epsilon already knew every corner of his mind and they blended together. Wash had caught a glimpse of what it could have been. Even if Epsilon was never meant to be his. 

There's a click as Carolina injects Epsilon and Wash looking at the floor as soot fell around them, carpeting the ground

Carolina's hand is still there, waiting outstretched.

His eyebrows furrows, confused before he slowly and takes her hand.

“Your different” He says as Carolina pulls him to his feet

“You are too” Carolina says “It's good to see you”

"It's good to see you too, boss"

He could just leave then but Carolina says she may need his help and so he follows her back to base.

He hadn't seen the Reds and Blues in so long but it's as if nothing at all had changed. A twinge of relief goes through him for some reason to see them alive. Tucker is standing there folded over his chest 

“He's going to be a Blue now?” He asks Carolina

"Oh please you guys need all the help you can get" Grif says

"I guess I am" He says glancing between him and Carolina

Caboose rushes him for a hug and it all feels so familiar.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Merc!Wash is probably my favorite au! (and Wash's EMP is the coolest)
> 
> I really love the head cannons of Wash and Epsilon not getting along but I also have the head cannon that Wash and Epsilon are actually v close and are protective of each other (from a distance) even they both keep their distance because of what happened. They each have their own people now but they still click really well when they need to. The handful of few times they actually talked in the show, I feel like there's always been a familiarity to them.


End file.
